Foldable ash tray



p 1967 ,1. D. BARRON 3,342,317

FOLDABLE ASH TRAY Filed Aug. 11, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

J AM es 1). BARRON ATTORNEYS Sept. 19, 1967 J. D. BARRON FOLDAVBLE ASH TRAY 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 11, 1966 INVENTOR. JAMEs b. BARRON ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,342,317 FOLDABLE ASH TRAY James D. Barron, Box 509, Chapel Hill, N.C. 27514 Filed Aug. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 571,918 7 Claims. (Cl. 206-37) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A collapsible ashtray formed of foldable material and having triangular walls hingedly interconnected in such a manner that they are relatively movable from a first fiat configuration of the ashtray to an intermediate configuration wherein the walls form an ash-receiving compartment, and thereafter to a second flat configuration of the ashtray wherein the compartment is closed to retain ashes placed therein.

The invention relates to a collapsible container made of foldable material and more particularly to a portable, collapsible ash tray of the type described in U.S. Patent 1,364,556.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved, disposable ash tray which can be carried in a folded, compact condition by a smoker, quickly erected for use, and quickly collapsed to retain waste material within the confines of the ash tray until subsequent disposal or reuse of the ash tray.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a collapsible ash tray which is constructed in such a way as to be manipulatable from a flat, compact position in which it is easily carried, to an intermediate position wherein there is created an ash-receiving compartment for the reception of waste material, and finally to a second flat collapsed position wherein waste material disposed within the ash-receivingcompartment may be retained therein until. the ash tray may be subsequently reopened or discarded.

The ash tray container of the present invention is formed from foldable, preferably noncombustible material, in blank'form, which can be folded in such a manner as to form an ash-receiving compartment which can be quickly opened for the reception of ashes and closed to confine the ashes within the compartment. The ash tray is designed to be carried by a smoker in a collapsed, compact condition when not in use, be quickly erected to form an ash compartment and then be quickly closed into a flat configuration to retain the ashes in the ash compartment untilthe ash tray is subsequently emptied or discarded.

The collapsible ash tray is composed of a series of interconnected wall-forming sections, generally triangular in shape, hingedly manipulatable along fold lines in such a way that the triangular walls can be moved relative to each other to create an ash-receiving compartment having an opening therein and subsequently moved to a flattened condition to close the opening and substantially seal the compartment to retain ashes therein.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with th accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view the present invention shown in an position;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the ash tray of FIGURE 1 shown in a flat, compact condition in which it is carried by a smoker prior to use;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the ash tray of FIGURE 1 shown in a flat, ash-retaining condition;

of the ash tray of open, ash-receiving 3,342,317 Patented Sept. 19, 1967 FIGURE 4 is a plan view of the ash tray as seen in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a side view of the ash tray as seen in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is an end view of the ash tray as seen in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view of the ash tray taken along line 7-7 of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 88 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 9 shows, in perspective view, a one-piece blank of material from which the ash tray of FIGURE 1 is formed;

FIGURES 10-12 are perspective views showing, in sequential steps, the manner in which the blank of material of FIGURE 9 is folded to form the ash tray;

FIGURES 13-15 show, in perspective views, a modified form of construction of the ash tray in which three blanks of material are used to form the same, and also showing, in sequential steps, the steps of formation of the ash tray;

FIGURE 16 shows, in perspective view, a further modified form of the ash tray of the present invention in an open, ash-receiving condition;

FIGURE 17 is a plan view of the ash tray as seen in FIGURE 16; and

FIGURES 18 through 20 show, in perspective views, the sequence of construction of the ash tray of FIGURE 16 in which two blanks of material are used.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, FIGURE 1 shows'an ash tray of the present invention in an upright condition including an ash-receiving compartment C for the reception of waste material such as ashes and the like. The compartment C is formed by opposing pairs of triangular wallsa first pair 11, 12 which form a lower portion of the compartment along a fold line 13, and second and third pairs 14a, 14b, and 15a, 1512, each of which is hingedly connected to the first pair of Walls by fold lines 16, 17, 18 and 19, respectively, and form an upper portion of the compartment.

An opening into the compartment C is defined by the free upper edges or sides 21 and 22 of the second and third pairs of walls. Connected to these sides are four downwardly extending sections 23a, 23b, 24a, and 24b which serve as support legs to maintain the ash tray in an upright position.

Prior to use, the ash tray is carried conveniently in a flat, compact condition as seen in FIGURE 2 wherein the faces of each of the respective pairs of walls are in contiguous relation. To quickly open the ash tray for use, it is necessary only to 'press inwardly at points A, A on the upper edges of the compartment.

When the ash tray has been used and contains ashes, the compartment C may be closed to a flat position (FIG- URE 3) to retain the ashes therein by continuing to press inwardly at points A, A (FIGURE 1) until the pairs of walls 14a, 14b and 15a, with the walls 11 and 12. In this position, triangular walls 11 and 12 form an underlying first panel and the triangular wall pairs 14a, 14b and 15a and 15b form respective second and third panels which overlie the first panel with their free proximal sides 12, 14 substantially closing the the user until subsequently emptied or discarded.

The ash tray seen in FIGURE 1 may be formed from a single blank 31 of relatively stiff foldable material (FIG- URE 9) which is suitably scored and cut to divide the blank into a plurality of wall-forming sections hingedly connected for relative movement about the score lines. The score lines and sections of the blank 31 which form the respective fold lines and walls of the ash tray seen and are hingedly connected 15b overlie and are contiguous in FIGURE 1 are designated by like reference characters with the prime notation added.

Blank 31 is divided into four parts by transverse, parallel score lines 22, 13 and 21 and is severed along two lines 32a, 3212, which extend substantially perpendicularly to the scored lines. A first pair of oppositely directed diagonal score lines 16' and 19' extend at acute angles from one end of score line 13' and a second pair of diagonal score lines 17 and 18 extend at acute angles from the other end of line 13'. Corresponding score lines of the two diagonal pairs converge at a. mid-point on each of the score lines 22' and 21' and, along with score line 13', define a pair of substantially identical triangular sections 11', 12' having a common base defined by the score line 13'.

The diagonal score lines, along with transverse score lines 21', 22' also define four additional triangular sections 14a, 14b and 15a, 15b. The score lines 22' and 21 and the severed portions 32a, 32b additionally define four substantially rectangular end sections 23a, 23b and 24a and 2411. End sections 24a and 24b have adhesive tabs 33 which extend therefrom and may be folded about score lines 34 and 35 to secure the edge of section 23a to 24a and the edge of section 23b to 2412' when forming the ash tray.

As seen in FIGURES through 12, the ash tray is formed from blank 31 by first folding the four triangular sections 14a, 14b, a and 15b about their respective diagonal score lines to a position overlying the triangular sections 11' and 12. End sections 23a, 23b, 24a and 24b are then folded along their defining score lines 21 and 22' to overlie the previously folded sections, with tabs 33 adhesively securing corresponding section pairs 23a, 23b, and 24a, 24b along their proximal edges which lie parallel to score line 13' (FIGURE 12). By securing the end sections in this manner, the triangular section pairs 14a, 14b, 15a and 15b are retained in the relative position seen in FIGURE 1.

Although the ash tray is shown fastened by integral tabs, it is obvious that the tabs can be eliminated, if desired, and the edges of the end sections secured by other means, such as an adhesive strip or the like.

The blank, thus folded and secured by the tabs, is manipulated to form the ash-receiving compartment C by compressing the folded blank (FIGURE 3) at the sides adjacent the apexes of triangular sections 11' and 12 while permitting the center portion of the folded blank to rise upwardly (FIGURE 1). Thus, the folds or score lines of the blank act as hinge connections about which the triangular sections pivotally move to form the respective walls of the compartment C.

FIGURES 13 through 15 show a modification of the invention wherein the ash tray is formed from three blanks of foldable material-a central rectangular blank 51 and two substantially identical end blanks 61 and 62. The central blank 51 has a transverse score line 52 and diagonal score lines 53 through 56 which define a pair of substantially identical triangular sections 57a, 57b having a common base and four additional triangular sections 58a, 58b, 59a, and 59b. The end blanks 61 and 62 have central score lines 63 and 64, respectively, and may be adhesively treated over portions of their upper surfaces, .as seen by the stippled areas thereon.

The ash tray is formed by folding the triangular sections 57a, 57b inwardly toward each other along transverse score line 52 and folding the four additional sections of the central blank towards each other along respective score lines 53 through 56 (FIGURE 14). The end blanks 61 and 62 are then folded along their respective central score lines 63 and 64 and brought into an adhesive, overlying relationship with respective pairs of the four sections (FIGURE 15). The ash tray thus formed may be manipulated from a compact, fiat position through an intermediate, open, ash-receiving condition and to a closed,

4 flat, ash-retaining condition in the same manner as the ash tray of FIGURES 1-12.

A second modification in the construction of the ash tray is shown in FIGURES 16-20 wherein the ash tray is formed by a pair of identical blanks of material having corresponding score lines. One of the blanks, 70, is shown in FIGURE 18 and the other blank, 90, is shown in FIG- URE 20. Each blank has a transverse score line, 71 and 91, and four diagonal score lines 72-75 and 92-95, respectively. Pairs of each of the diagonal score lines extend from each end of the transverse score lines and converge at the edges of the blank parallel to the transverse score line to define substantially identical triangular sections 77a, 77b, and 97a, 97b, and four additional triangular sections 78-81 and 98-101, in the respective blanks, as in the previous modifications.

In forming an ash tray from the two blank modification, the four triangular sections 78-81 of blank 70 are folded along their respective score lines into an overlying relationship with the center triangular sections 77a, 77b (FIGURE 19). Two flexible strips of adhesive tape 82, 83 are then applied to secure the proximal edges of the sections which lie along the transverse fold line 71 so as to hingedly secure the section pairs 78, 79 and 80, 81 for relative movement about the edges.

The second blank (FIGURE 20) is formed by folding the four outer sections 98-101 along their respective diagonal score lines to lie at approximately a 45 angle to the triangular center sections and act as support legs for the ash tray. The first blank 70 is then adhesively secured to the second blank with the center triangular sections of blank 70 overlying the center sections of blank 90. The ash tray formed is manipulated in the same manner as those of the preceding modifications from a compact, flat position of carry to an intermediate position of use (FIGURES 16 and 17), and then to a flat, ashretaining condition.

In the drawings and specification there have been set forth preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. A collapsible ash tray formed from relatively stiff foldable material comprising a first pair of substantially identical triangular walls hingedly connected along one side thereof and having the remaining sides of each triangular wall defining acute angles with said interconnected side, a second pair of walls each having a pair of converging sides defining an acute angle therebetween, said second pair of walls being hingedly connected along one of the converging sides thereof, the other of said converging sides of each of said second pair of walls being hingedly connected to respective sides of the first pair of walls on opposite sides of the hinge connection thereof, a third pair of walls each having a pair of converging sides defining an acute angle therebetween, said third pair of walls being hingedly connected along one of the converging sides thereof, the other of said converging sides of each of said third pair of walls being hingedly connected to the remaining sides of said first pair of walls, the remaining sides of said second and third pairs of walls being free of each other, each of said walls being movable about its respective hinge connections between a first position wherein the faces of each pair of walls are contiguous and a second position wherein the faces of the second and third pairs of walls are contiguous with faces of the first pair of walls and an intermediate position wherein the walls create therebetween an ash-receiving compartment having an opening therein defined by the free sides of said second and third pairs of walls.

2. A collapsible ash tray as defined in claim 1, wherein said first, second and third pairs of walls are formed from a single piece of material suitably scored to create the hinged connections of the second and third pairs of walls with the first pair of walls.

3. A collapsible ash tray as defined in claim 1, wherein the hinged inter-connections of the said ones of the converging sides of the second and third pairs of walls include flexible members joining said sides.

4. A collapsible ash tray as defined in claim 1 including support means connected to and extending outwardly from side edges of said second and third pairs of walls to retain the ash tray in an upright condition when the Walls thereof create said ash-receiving compartment.

5. A collapsible ash tray as defined in claim 1 wherein said first pair of triangular walls are in the shape of isosceles triangles.

6. A collapsible ash tray as defined in claim 5 wherein said isosceles triangles are right isosceles triangles.

7. A collapsible ash tray formed from relatively stifi foldable material comprising a first panel having a hinge line dividing the panel into a pair of substantially equal triangular walls, a second panel overlying a first portion of the first panel, said second panel having a pair of adjacent sides hingedly connected to edge portions of said first panel and intersecting at one end of said hinge line of said first panel, a third panel overlying a second portion of said first panel, said third panel having a pair of adjacent sides hingedly connected to edge portions of said first panel and intersecting at the other end of said hinge line of the first panel, proximal sides of said sec- 0nd and third panels being independent of each other, said second and third panels each having a hinge line extending from its proximal side to said intersection of its adjacent sides and lying parallel to the hinge line of said first panel to divide each panel into a pair of walls, whereby movement of said second and third panels about their hinged connections to said first panel results in movement of the respective pairs of walls of said second and third panels about their hinge lines and away from said first panel to form an ash-receiving compartment and in movement of said proximal sides of said second and third panels away from each other to form an opening into said ash-receiving compartment, and whereby continued movement of said second and third panels about their hinge connections to said first panel causes said ash tray to collapse into a fiat configuration for storage when not in use.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 783,089 2/ 1905 Wildmann. 1,721,143 7/1929 Berkowitz. 2,071,394 2/1937 Douglas 20637 X FOREIGN PATENTS 736,857 9/1932 France.

THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner. I. M. CASKIE, Assistant Examiner. 

7. A COLLAPSIBLE ASH TRAY FORMED FROM RELATIVELY STIFF FOLDABLE MATERIAL COMPRISING A FIRST PANEL HAVING A HINGE LINE DIVIDING THE PANEL INTO A PAIR OF SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TRIANGULAR WALLS, A SECOND PANEL OVERLYING A FIRST PORTION OF THE FIRST PANEL, SAID SECOND PANEL HAVING A PAIR OF ADJACENT SIDES HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID FIRST PANEL AND INTERSECTING AT ONE END OF SAID HINGE LINE OF SAID FIRST PANEL, SAID THIRD PANEL HAVING A PAIR PORTION OF SAID FIRST PANEL, SAID THIRD PANEL HAVING A PAIR OF ADJACENT SIDES HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO EDGE PORTIONS OF SAID FIRST PANEL AND INTERSECTING AT THE OTHER END OF SAID HINGE LINE OF THE FIRST PANEL, PROXIMAL SIDES OF SAID SECOND AND THIRD PANELS BEING INDEPENDENT OF EACH OTHER, SAID SECOND AND THIRD PANELS EACH HAVING A HINGE LINE EXTENDING FROM ITS PROXIMAL SIDE TO SAID INTERSECTION OF ITS ADJACENT SIDES AND LYING PARALLEL TO THE HINGE LINE OF SAID FIRST PANEL TO DIVIDE EACH PANEL INTO A PAIR OF WALLS, WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND AND THIRD PANELS ABOUT THEIR HINGED CONNECTIONS TO SAID FIRST PANEL RESULTS IN MOVEMENT OF THE RESPECTIVE PAIRS OF WALLS OF SAID SECOND AND THIRD PANELS ABOUT THEIR HINGE LINES AND AWAY FROM SAID FIRST PANEL TO FORM AN ASH-RECEIVING COMPARTMENT AND IN MOVEMENT OF SAID PROXIMAL SIDES OF SAID SECOND AND THIRD PANELS AWAY FROM EACH OTHER TO FORM AN OPENING INTO SAID ASH-RECEIVING COMPARTMENT, AND WHEREBY CONTINUED MOVEMENT OF SAID SECOND AND THIRD PANELS ABOUT THEIR HINGE CONNECTIONS TO SAID FIRST PANEL CAUSES SAID ASH TRAY TO COLLAPSE INTO A FLAT CONFIGURATION FOR STORAGE WHEN NOT IN USE. 